Creating your own festival for students is a great way to not only give students an extra performance opportunity, but to also increase your income.
New Orleans has a big competition coming up in April where the students have to play three memorized pieces for a judge. Creating the festival gave my students extra motivation to memorize at least one or two pieces that they will perform again in April.
Students who received a superior rating at the festival will receive a trophy at the Spring recital.
With your own solo festival, think about your expenses before you set your fee for your students. Expenses include:
- Paying the judge
- Building fee (If you use a building other than your home or studio)
- Awards (Medals and ribbons are cheaper than trophies)
I recommend charging at least $15-20 per student for the event so that you can make a profit.
Don’t be afraid to make a profit! Think of all the time you spend organizing the event and being present the day of the festival. I also wrote about another teacher who created her own festival here. You can even invite other teachers to participate.
It’s important to note that you don’t have to have a commercial space to do this. With a small amount of students, you could easily do this from your home.
Here are the two forms I used for the event. I’m including the Word documents in case you want to edit them. Feel free to email me if you’d like them in another form!
Solo Festival – Sign up Sheet
Solo Festival – Adjudication Form
Lauren teaches piano to students of all ages. She enjoys creating resources for her students and teachers. She is the author of Ready for Theory®. For personalized help, check out the consultations page for teachers.
